Sunday, May 15, 2011

“Abandon me not when I grow old!” - Psalms

By Linda Levin, Kehillah Chadashah President

Kehillah Chadashah has taken this statement very seriously. From delivering Chanukah gift packages to homebound elderly to making hamantashen with the seniors at an assisted living facility and delivering Shalach Manot to homebound elderly for Purim. As part of Israel Independence Day, Kehillah Chadashah is learning about Yad LaKashish, a program in Jerusalem that provides a place for elders in need to work as well as an opportunity to contribute to society in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

Yad LaKashish
, Lifeline for the Old, was formed in 1962 by Myriam Mendilow, a junior high school teacher concerned with the lack of interest in or concern for the elderly in Israel. She was particular upset by the negative way in which her students viewed the elderly as being useless and irrelevant. Ms. Mendilow started a book binding workship for elderly men. Fifty years later, the small workshop helping 8 poor elderly men has grown to a variety of workshops including ceramics, mental work, embroidery, silk painting and wood work helping over 300 elderly men and women.

• Over 90% of the elderly at Yad LaKashish are immigrants who came to Israel
in the last 20 years (most are over 75 years old)
• 30% of the elderly have worked at Yad LaKashish for more than 10 years.
• 50% of the Yad LaKashish elderly are single and 25% meet relatives only on
Jewish holidays.
• 96% of the Yad LaKashish elderly felt that their work gave them an
opportunity to meet new people and make friends.
• 80% of the elderly said that Yad LaKashish helped to give them “a sense of
belonging to the rest of society.

“The prosperity of a country can be seen simply in how it treats its old people.”
- Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

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